Two Named to SVHC Foundation Northshire Regional Advisory Board

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Bennington, Vt.— Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) Foundation Northshire Regional Advisory Board welcomes two new members: Regina Downer and Parker Rice. 
 
"We are delighted to have Regina and Parker join our family of compassionate volunteers," said Northshire Regional Advisory Board Chair Keith Michl, MD. "Each of them has all of the qualities we look for in a member of the Regional Advisory Boards, most importantly, a deep commitment to this community."
 
Regina Downer, RN, MS, PNP-C, holds a master's degree in maternal-child health from Boston University and a certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She works for My Community Nurse Project, a non-profit agency providing home visits, wellness/safety checks, and advocacy at no charge to seniors residing in six mountain towns. She worked in pediatric care and health education in Dutchess County, New York, for 45 years before retiring to Weston. She lives there with her husband and enjoys her three grown children and four grandchildren.
 
"I am happy to serve on the Northshire Regional Advisory Board," said Downer. "I hope that I can offer a healthcare perspective that is unique to the mountain towns of southern Vermont.
 
Parker Rice is a life-long resident of the Northshire and the co-owner of Equipe Sport, an outdoor sport store, which has four locations in southern Vermont. Rice graduated from Hobart and William Smith College. He lives in Manchester Center with his wife Karen and son Pearson. He has served on numerous civic boards, including the Stratton Foundation.
 
"The quality of the health system here is part of what makes our corner of Vermont such a wonderful place to live," Rice said. "I am proud to lend my support though service to the SVHC Foundation's Northshire Regional Advisory Board."
 
The SVHC Foundation Northshire Regional Advisory Board consists of 12 members. Members are nominated by members of the group or by the health system. Other Regional Advisory Boards represent patients from the Berkshires in Massachusetts, the Deerfield Valley area of Vermont, and Hoosick Falls and surrounding towns in New York. The SVHC Foundation's mission is to engage in development and fundraising activities exclusively for the support of the Southwestern Vermont Health Care Corporation.

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Companion Corner: Lucy at Second Chance Animal Shelter

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

ARLINGTON, Vt. — There is an excited and energetic pup looking for her new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Lucy is nearly 2 years old. She is a heeler/terrier mix with energy to spare. She has been at the Second Chance Animal Shelter since the summer.

We highlighted Lucy in June, but she is still looking for her forever family.

Lead canine care technician Alaura Lasher introduced us to her.

"She is a very energetic girl. She loves to play, and as you can see, she came to us from animal control," she said. 

Lucy was not in a great situation before coming to the shelter and they are still trying to learn more about her.

"They had seized her from a pretty neglectful situation. She was actually technically abandoned. She just came to us this last month, so she's still showing us all of her energy she has," Lasher said.

Lucy is able to go home with a dog-savvy cat and older children as she can be a bit jumpy with her bounds of energy.

"The perfect home for her is one that is able to give her a ton of attention and a ton of time playing, she loves her time outside," said Lasher. "She can run forever and not get tired. She can possibly live with another dog who is used to more of a pushy play style. She can be a little pushy when she plays, just because she's so hyper."

Since she is young, she is still learning and training with the staff and might need more with someone who takes her home.

"To the best of our knowledge, she's just a healthy young girl, because she's only a year and a half old, she still got a little bit of learning and training that she could use."

But Lucy is always happy to see anyone and immediately wants to play and say hi. Her endless energy makes her a great companion to play outside with and then hang out after a long day of fun.

"She's just a super sweet girl again. She'll need some help with the training, but as long as you've got time to burn out her energy, she'll make a great family dog," she said.

If you think Lucy might be the girl for you, reach out to Second Chance Animal Shelter and learn more about her on their website.

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